Most employers prefer to hire veterans over non-veterans, according to a survey released this week by the online employment agency Monster.com.

But the veterans' jobless rate remains high, partly because they are not prepared for the job hunt.

In a nationwide survey of 800 veterans and 450 employers, Monster found that 69 percent of the employer respondents felt that veteran workers perform their job functions ‘much better’ than non-veterans and 60 percent felt motivated to hire veterans, depending on their qualifications and prior work experience.

In contrast, just 53 percent of the veteran respondents felt prepared for the transition from military to civilian life. And 66 percent have low confidence in finding a job that matches their skills.

The employers suggested that one reason the veterans have problems on their job searches is that they have a hard time explaining how they could use their battlefield training on the job. Seventy-seven percent said that translating military skills into civilian skills is one of the toughest challenges veterans face.

But the Obama administration is moving to require each service to provide job transition training during the final weeks before discharge, similar to San Diego's Reboot program, a voluntary program that helps veterans write resumes, practice for job interviews, "dress for success," among other things. (For a link to Reboot, click HERE). In the meantime, the Labor Department has joined with Microsoft Corp. to provide veterans with vouchers for no-cost training and certifications that can lead to important industry-recognized credentials.

Because of its high number of returning veterans, San Diego has been picked as one of five centers for the program, which will also operate in Seattle, Houston, Northern Virginia and Jacksonville, Fla. (For more information, click HERE.)

"In today's competitive, high-tech economy, specialized training is often a prerequisite for employment," Labor Secretary Hilda Solis told reporters during a conference call. "The program will help our returning heroes gain access to the training and certifications they need to land good jobs in growing industries."

Historically, veterans have had a tough time making the move to civilian life, especially in times of economic slowdown or recession. (See: When Johnny and Janey come home)

Last year, young male veterans between ages 18 to 24 had a jobless rate of 21.9 percent in 2010, compared to a 19.7 percent rate for nonveterans of the same age. And those numbers could go up as veterans come home from Iraq.

Due to the shortage of jobs, poverty is also on the rise. Between 2007 and 2010, the poverty rate for veterans rose from 5.4 percent to 7 percent, according to a study releast Thursday by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee. More than 1.4 million Americans now live below the poverty rate and another 1.4 million live just above it, the study says. (To see the study, click HERE.)

To help jobless veterans find jobs more quickly, the U.S. Senate on Thursday - in a rare show of bipartisan spirit - voted 95 to 0 to extend tax credits to businesses that hire unemployed veterans and to provide more money to retrain older unemployed veterans for high-demand fields.

"A law that cuts taxes and improves the lives of veterans had to have been pretty much of a no-brainer," said Scott Gould, deputy director of the Veterans Administration, during a swing through San Diego.

The measure would give businesses a tax credit of up to $9,000 if they hire a disabled veteran who has been out of work for more than six months, $5,600 for hiring a non-disabled veteran unemployed for at least six months and $2,400 for hiring a veteran out of work for at least a month.

In addition, First Lady Michelle Obama announced a partnership with the International Franchise Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - a group that is often critical of her husband's administration - to find 100,000 jobs for veterans through 2014, with the help of such major companies as Sears, Siemens, Kmart and Sam’s Club.

An online Veterans Job Bank with more than half a million job listings from companies committed to hiring veterans.

A service called My Next Move for Veterans where vets can enter their military experience online and instantly receive a list of jobs that they’re qualified for.

"Each of these steps is going to make a real difference, not just for a veteran, but also for your businesses, and more importantly, for this entire nation," the First Lady said. "And that’s really what all of these efforts are about."